Siege of Steenwijk (1592)

Siege of Steenwijk 1592
Part of the Eighty Years' War & the Anglo–Spanish War
The siege of Steenwijk in 1592; print from Atlas Van Loon: The detonations of the mines are made visible.
Date 30 May – 5 July 1592 Location Steenwijk Present day the Netherlands Result Dutch and English victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Dutch Republic England	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Maurice of Orange Francis Vere	Antonio Coquel Francisco Verdugo
Strength
6,000 troops 2,000 cavalry[3]	1,060[4] 300 (relief)
Casualties and losses
600 casualties[5]	550 casualties 800 surrendered[6]

The siege of Steenwijk was a siege that took place between 30 May and 5 July 1592 as part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War by a Dutch and English force under Maurice of Orange. By taking Steenwijk the Republic's army would take out one of the two main transport routes overland to the Drenthe capital of Groningen, the other lay at Coevorden.^[4] After a failed bombardment, an assault was made in conjunction with the detonation of mines under important bastions, and with two out of three successfully assaulted, the Spanish troops surrendered on 5 July 1592 and handed over the city to the Dutch and English army.^[2][7][8] This siege was one of the first in history to make use of pioneers as a separate military unit although they were still at the time regarded as soldiers.^[5]